


Constellations

by CharitiniCS



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 10:50:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20795444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharitiniCS/pseuds/CharitiniCS
Summary: Killian spends a quiet night on the Jolly Roger teaching his little Hope all about his favorite constellation, while Emma gets a very much needed nap.





	Constellations

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written last year for a prompt on Twitter. The prompt was "Killian on the Jolly with his daughter, with maybe some stargazing involved". I hope you like it, and I hope I did it justice :)

“And that over there, darling, is the Cygnus constellation.” Killian whispered softly, pointing at the sky, his little daughter sitting comfortably on his lap.

A blanket was draped over them, protecting them from the chilly night air. Emma had thought of everything when they packed for their night at the Jolly.

“Cy-gnus.” Hope repeated hesitantly, tasting the new word in her mouth. “Is that right, daddy?”

“Aye, my little love.” He said, kissing her temple lovingly. “That’s perfect.” He loved moments like this. Moments he couldn’t even imagine having, not even in his wildest dreams. Lying on the deck of his ship, with his little girl who held his heart in her tiny hand, teaching her all about the sky.

His gaze turned from the constellation to his own little star laying in his arms, watching her smile with pride at his compliment. She was a natural. He called her a little pirate, even since she was in her mum’s belly and he couldn’t have been more right. She loved spending time at sea. She loved navigating the Jolly, sitting on her dad’s knee, her four years of age not making her quite tall to reach the helm on her own yet. She loved running along the deck, naming each and every part of the ship the way Killian had taught her.

She knew all about “powt” (port) and “stabowd”(starboard) from the age of two , his brilliant girl. He was convinced his daughter knew the ship’s details better than quite a few members of his crew.

“Why is it called cy-gnus?” She questioned, breaking his thoughts, her ocean eyes meeting his. Killian smiled to himself, Hope’s curious nature something he always loved about her.

“Mmmh good question ...you remember how I daddy calls you sometimes?” He moved his hand to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. Her hair looked silver in the moonlight.

“Little love?”

Killian chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “You’re right, sweetheart, but I mean something else. Something that starts with cy-.”

“CYGNET!” Hope almost screamed, clapping her hands and kicking the blanket away accidentally.

“You’re one brilliant lass.” Killian reached to cover Hope’s body with again, tightening his arms around her to keep her warm. It was getting colder and if Hope wasn’t so insisting on stargazing, they’d have gone to the -much warmer- cabin to indulge in some of his swashbuckling bedtime stories long ago. “Remember What we said it means?”

Hope nodded. “It means little swan. You say mommy is your swan and I’m your cygnet.”

“That you are.” Killian ran his fingers through her hair, knowing it’s something both his girls loved, something that lulled them to sleep. “Cygnet means little Swan, and Cygnus means Swan.”

“Why don’t you call mommy ‘Cygnus’?”

“Oi, that’s a good idea, maybe I’ll start from now.” He joked, turning his attention back to the sky. His raised his hooked arm who rested on Hope’s waist and pointed at the constellation again. “Can you try and see the swan for me, cygnet?”

He adjusted her little body on his lap and laid back to give them both a better view. Of the stars. Hope’s head rested on his chest and she was looking straight at the sky. “Those bright stars right here, see them?” When Hope nodded, he continued. “That’s the tale. And you can see the wings....” Killian took Hope’s small hand and helped her point at the stars he was showing.

“And the head. I SEE IT.” She was awestruck, her eyes glowing, like she had just made a life altering discovery. “It really looks like a swan, daddy.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Killian released her hand but not before pressing a gentle kiss on her palm, making her giggle. “But now how about we let this swan to rest and go to the cabin to give some cuddles to our own Swan, What do you say?”

“Mommy will be asleep now?” Hope asked, her own voice coated with sleep.

“I believe she will be, aye.” Emma had such a hard time sleeping the last few days that she’d definitely sleep early now, with the swaying of the sea helping her relax. “But she’ll love her favorite girl’s snuggles nonetheless.”

Hope seemed convinced, and she nodded. “Daddy, why is my baby sister or brother making mommy sick?”

“Oh darling, the baby doesn’t want to make mommy sick. They are just finding their place in mommy’s tummy and getting comfortable.” Killian smiled, thinking of his wife and unborn baby sleeping soundly just a few steps away from him and Hope. “But you know how it always helps the baby calm down when we sleep here. They are a pirate, much like their older sister.”

It was true. Emma’s morning sickness had been so bad lately she could hardly sleep at home. The Jolly always calmed the baby down, so the three (or four) of them have made quite a few sleepovers on the ship the last couple of months.

“Oh. I made mommy sick too, when I was in her tummy?” Hope muttered, suppressing a yawn.

“Just a tad.” Killian kissed her cheek and stood up, bringing her with him. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. “But mommy loves you so incredibly much that she didn’t mind one bit. You were worth it, my little love.”

Hope was asleep before they even reached the cabin And Emma instinctively drew her closer when Killian placed her on the soft mattress. He kissed his wife’s and daughters foreheads, leaning to press a kiss where the other love of his life rested.

Hundreds of years studying constellations on the sky, he’d never imagined he’d find his favorite on earth, three bright stars lighting up his life for an eternity to come.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it :) thank you for reading!


End file.
